Spring torsion-rod for automobiles.



A. H. HOYT.

SPRING TORSION ROD FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27. I916.

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ADRIAN H. HOY'I, OF PENACOOK, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SPRING TORSION-ROD FOB. AUTOMOBILES.

mosses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Diet. at. rate.

Application filed March 27, 1916. Serial No. 87,103.

herently resilient character; and it is a j further object of my invention to provide a -'spring torsion rod of novel symmetrical i form to afford the greatest strength at the portion where the strain is greatest.

"Heretofore the torsion rod has always been a rigid member which allows the shocks to some extent to be transmitted to the frame, even though supported by springs at its forward end, andwhich is open to the further objection that it causes greater strain upon the differential and transmission than takes places with my improved spring torsion device.

One of the principal advantages derived from the use of this device is that a part of the shock caused by meeting stones or obstructions in the road is transmitted to the rear axle housing instead of the whole of the shock being transmitted to the frame of the car as is the case with the usual devices. I attain the objects of my invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan of my lnvention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a sectlon on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view; Fig. 5 is a detail of member 8; and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the operation of the invention.

lLike characters of reference deslgnate like parts throughout. Referring to the accompanymg drawings, I provide in place of the usual rigld torsion rod, a spring torsion device consisting of a main leaf member 1 having an eye member 3 at each end, and having a plurality of opposite leaf spring members 2 dlsposed on opposite sides of member 1 n symmetrical arrangement, as illustrated'm'Fig. 2, and having means for retaining the leaf spring members inoengagement. 'TlllS means consists preferably of :U-bolts 6, washers 15 and nuts 7. Members 6 engage around a plate 1, from which depends hinge member 6. rom the latter member, rod 11, which is pivotally engaged to member 5 at 12, extends to the lower end of rod C, the eye portion 13 being hinged to the lower-end of rod C- by a suitable bolt 14, as illustrated in Fig. i. The forward end of member 1 is pivotally secured to link 8, by member 9, as illustrated in Fig. 5. Link 8 is pivotally suspended from the cross member B of the automobile frame. A designates the axle houslng and C C the usual vertical rod to whiclrthe torsion rod is connected.

The operation of my invention is indi-' cated diagrammaticallv in Fig. 6. When the wheel encounters an obstruction D the shock is transmitted to the differential so that the rear axle housing A would attempt to. turn clockwise. This would result in a new position of the spring device and rod 11, as indicated approximately in the diagram (Fig. 6) in dotted lines. A downward pull is exerted on the spring device by the rod 11, at the same time rod C is rotated slightly forward by the axle housing A. Part of the force exerted along rod 11 by reason of its movement in a rearward direction when an obstacle is encountered would be borne by the rear axle housing A and part supported from the cross member of the frame B. The operation of rod 11 in thus transmitting a part of the-downward pull caused'by a road shock to the rear axle housing A is of great importance because'it tends to hold the rear wheels down to the ground, whereas the ordinary effect of bumps or road obstructions is to throw the rear end off from the ground, which makes,

a car ride hard. In other words, a part of the force exerted by the additional torque necessary to overcome an obstruction encountered in the road is transmitted through the spring device and rod 11 to the axle housing and expended in holding the rear' end of the car down. It will be seen therefore that the device has functions in addition to those performed by the ordinary torsion rod. It absorbs all shocks of starting and stopping and keeps road shocks from being transmitted to the frame of the car. By reason of the symmetrical arrangement of the leaf spring members an equal resistance is exerted to either an upward or a downward pressure. The device exerts less strain upon the differential and transmission than the usual rigid torsion rod because the turning torque of starting and inforcing leafmembers of graduated lengths,

' stopping is absorbed gradually instead of suddenly. The symmetrical arrangement of the leaf spring members of the device and its connection With rod 11 affords the required reinforcement at the-portion of the device Where the strain is greatest and providesa device of much greater resilience than the small and'stiff spiral springs customarily employed with the usual rigid torsion rod'member. I What I claim is:

1. spring torsion rod having a central leaf spring member and having opposite remeans pivotally connecting one end of the spring tension rod with the differential casingrand means supporting the other end.

2. A spring torsion rod having a central 7 leaf member and having'opposite' reinforcing members of graduated lengths,.means pivotally engaging one end of the spring torsion rod with means rigidly secured to the differential casing and link means pivotally connecting the other end of the spring-tension rod. With a cross member of the automobile frame. l a a 3, Spring torsion rod mechanism com- I prising a symmetrically formed leaf spring torsion rod, a bracing rod pivotally connected to its bottom median portion, means I pivotally connecting both aforesaid members with means rigidly mounted in the differential casing, and means pivotally connecting the forward end of the spring torsion rod to means suspended from the automobile frame.

4. Spring torsion rod mechanism comprising a spring torsion rod having a plurality of opposite leaf members of graduated length disposed in like symmetrical fleetion of the spring tension rod, and the diiferential and transmission relieved of strain.

ADRIAN H. HOY'l. VVitnesses':

HORACE B. SHERBURNE, RALPH H. SHERBURNE. 

